News:Volunteers refurbish Little House on the Prairie sites

On Thursday, about two dozen volunteers from area and national Hampton Hotels are traveling to De Smet to help refurbish buildings on the grounds of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Society. The effort will include the presentation of a $20,000 check as well. It's all part of Hampton's Save-A-Landmark program.

Tori Roberson, a spokeswoman for Hampton, said her company started the program in 2000 after surveying guests and tourists on their views about American landmarks. "There was a lot of concern about these attractions, their conditions," Roberson said. "So Hampton decided this was a great fit for our program."

Since then, the company has helped refurbish 36 historical and cultural sites across the country. The De Smet home of pioneer author Laura Ingalls Wilder, suggested by a Hampton employee, will be the 37th.